With the World Cup now just over a fortnight away, Liverpool's transfer window is in danger of grinding to a temporary halt, an issue that many elite clubs will face in the next month or so.

That being said, the delay isn't likely to temper Brendan Rodgers' desire for squad improvements this summer as the 2014-15 campaign beckons with bigger and brighter prospects than have been seen at Anfield for some years.

Back among the Champions League elite, the Reds have a certain responsibility to their fans in improving the quality of their playing staff over the next few months, and here we take a look at some of the latest comment on rumours emerging on Merseyside.

Mario Balotelli, Milan

Claudio Villa/Getty Images

Potentially swapping one controversial striking figure for another, there's a chance that Liverpool will seek to bring in Mario Balotelli this summer, should Luis Suarez decide to head for the Anfield exit.

That's according to the Mirror's Paul Gorst, who says the Italian forward is being eyed up as a replacement for Suarez if he opts for a transfer to Real Madrid.

The Associated Press write that Balotelli has been racially abused in Italy's World Cup preparations, and it's that kind of reception which could lead to the forward hunting a move back to England:

Emre Can's proposed switch to Merseyside is a deal that's gone through its paces quickly, elevating from murmured speculation to full-fledged possibility in little more than a week.

Bayer Leverkusen purchased the midfielder from Bayern Munich for a fee of £4.5 million last summer, but the Telegraph's Chris Bascombe says that the Bundesliga outfit could now turn a quick profit by selling him to Liverpool for £12 million.

The German Under-21 international has received some considerable plaudits in his native Germany, but Norwegian pundit Jan AageFjortoft isn't particularly convinced:

Emre Can to Liverpool? Have seen him a lot in Germany. Not convinced he will do Liverpool better.
#LFC

Speaking on the subject of the Leverkusen youngster, club sporting director and German legend Rudi Voller is quoted by the Mirror's David Maddock as saying:

It is clear that Emre now has a clause in his contract, and it would be lucrative business for us, but that is not the sticking point - we feel he could do well for another year with us. Of course I spoke with Karl-Heinz Rummenigge [of Bayern Munich] on the subject. They think that for Emre's development another season at Leverkusen would be just right.

On that topic, Liverpool wouldn't appear to agree and are intent on landing their man now, possibly as an alternative to Lucas Leiva.

And the Reds could strengthen their English reserves with a move for the Southampton pairing of Nathaniel Clyne and Adam Lallana, according to the Daily Star's Paul Hetherington.

Lallana has seen his Liverpool links intensify since making Roy Hodgson's World Cup squad a fortnight ago, and Hetherington quotes the Three Lions manager in asserting that he doesn't want transfer business to disrupt England's preparation:

England is England and their clubs and club futures are exactly that – and we’re not going to combine the two things. I’m not having agents come in to our training camp and I’m not having players leaving the camp to speak to clubs or agents.

Clyne would be brought in as a presumed replacement for countryman Glen Johnson, and the Mirror's Ed Malyon touted the notion earlier in May that the full-back could have been in contention for a World Cup place himself:

Walker injury surely makes World Cup unlikely. Flanagan or Clyne have to be in with a shout, surely?